4 Easy Ways To Improve Your Posture at Work

The importance of your posture can’t be overstated- apart from having a direct impact on your health, it also conveys to other people a lot about your internal state. A slouched posture makes us appear vulnerable and discouraged, while an upright posture conveys confidence and trustworthiness. At your workplace, how you are perceived has a huge impact on your career.

Health Implications of Bad Posture

Good posture isn’t only about looking good – bad posture can be dangerous for your health, and ligament and muscle imbalance can lead to a host of problems:

Chronic neck-, shoulder and back pain

Headaches

Fatigue

Muscle weakness and atrophy

Difficulty with breathing

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Nerve compression

Digestive problems

4 Easy Ways for Better Posture at your WorkplaceKnowing that your posture says a lot about your personality should be enough to start accessing your own posture at work, and how to correct any slumping or slouching.

1.Be mindful: This is so simple, but also perhaps the most important thing to do to improve your posture- just be mindful of it. Your shoulders need to be dropped, and of course you want to make sure your desk and workstation are set up to actually promote proper posture. Remember, it’s not just at our desks that we need to consider our posture. We need to sit up straight when driving, and if we have to work from bed, you have to think up ingenious ways so that your posture isn’t wrecked.

2.Breathe properly: Because how we breathe affects how we move, make sure you’re breathing correctly. Shallow breathing weakens the strength of the respiratory muscles, altering our posture and certainly undermining our health. Sessions of deep breathing and respiratory muscle training can improve posture and your quality of life.

3.Proper chair: Since most of your working hours will be seated, this one is a given. Make sure your office chair is as ergonomic as possible. A high back with good lumbar support, neck rest, and adjustable arms are all essential in helping you maintain good posture. If you have trouble finding such a chair, a good place to start is ErgoTrends’ Best Office Chairs Guide.

4. Stretch Often. Maintaining a good posture is a lot about getting off your office chair and periodically stretch. Certain yoga routines such as Upward Facing Dog and Low Plank have been proven to be very effective towards strengthening your back and correcting poor posture. If you can’t perform those routines at work, simply arching your back and rolling your shoulders once an hour goes a long way towards better posture.

Start Standing Tall Today

Don’t be someone who is always hunched over and has chronic pain. Start working on your posture, keeping your body in proper alignment so that balance is improved.

As we age, and particularly for women after menopause, there is weakening in the muscles around the spine. Exercises targeting the pelvic- and side muscles as well as the back extensors are very important.

Exercises done on your feet and which work the muscles against gravity are weight-bearing exercises, and they prevent osteoporosis and improve bone and muscle health. Balance exercises such as yoga or pilates incorporate balance, strength and stability for strengthening core, back muscles and bones.

Stand tall – you’ll look confident and in control and the bonus part is that you ward off health risks and stand to live longer too.